Delivery of nucleic acid compounds to retinal tissue and in particular to retinal ganglion cells presents a big drug delivery challenge. Hitherto, eye drops have been considered to be useful primarily in the treatment of anterior segment disorders since it is has been shown that nucleic acids do not pass the cornea and insufficient drug concentrations reach the posterior ocular tissue (reviewed in del Amo and Urtti, 2008. Drug Discov Today 13(3/4):135-143; Fattal and Bochot, 2006. Adv Drug Del Rev 56:1203-1223).
A retinal ganglion cell (RGC) is a type of neuron located near the inner surface of the retina of the eye. Retinal ganglion cells receive visual information from photoreceptors and collectively transmit visual information from the retina to several regions in the brain.
Further, there remains need for non-invasive method for inhibiting loss of retinal ganglion cells in a subject in need thereof. Various ocular diseases and disorders are characterized by death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Accordingly, there remains a need for a non-invasive method for inhibiting loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in subjects that are suffering from an ocular disease, an ocular disorder or an ocular injury or are at risk of developing an ocular disease, an ocular disorder, or an ocular injury characterized and/or mediates by degeneration or death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs).